1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ratcheting driver used for driving screws, nuts and the like. In particular, the invention relates to a technique for mounting the driver shank to the driver ratchet mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is an improvement of the ratcheting driver disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,852, issued Oct. 18, 1988, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. That driver has a ratchet mechanism received in an axial bore in one end of a handle, and a rotating cap which covers that end of the handle and includes an actuator for controlling a reversing apparatus on the ratchet mechanism. The cap is rotatably mounted on the ratchet mechanism and has an axial bore therethrough which receives the driver shank for engagement with the ratchet mechanism. The shank is retained in place by a lock ring, which permits free rotation of the shank relative to the cap, while preventing the shank from being removed from the handle.
This prior arrangement results in a somewhat complicated and expensive assembly procedure. More particularly, the cap must be preassembled with the shank and the lock ring before the cap is mounted in place. Thus, the shank must be inserted through the bore of the cap and the lock ring then accurately positioned on the inner end of the shank at the correct longitudinal location so that, when the cap is assembled on the handle, the shank will fully engage the ratchet mechanism and the lock ring will not interfere with either the cap or the ratchet mechanism.